The Chosen Ones

Thane wouldn’t let Grandfather give me the injection. And considering I wasn’t quite sure if he was crazy or not, I didn’t argue. We would wait, he had insisted. I wasn’t sure what we were waiting for and I realized that there might come a time when I would be forced to take the serum, but I trusted his instincts, and more importantly, I trusted mine.

  And although I hadn’t gotten the “miracle cure,” as grandfather called it, I felt safe there on that island, where my grandfather had lived in peace. Safe for days as Thane and I rested, waiting, while Grandfather went over his serum again and again, testing it on various wild animals, and even himself, to make sure it wouldn’t kill humans.

  But I knew the safety was an illusion and Thane was right, in this world we should be very leery of any cure that seemed too good to be true. And so we would wait some more. And a part of me, that selfish part, didn’t mind waiting. I liked it here.

  I waded out into the water up to my thighs, staring at the area where I knew the mainland was located. Out there, somewhere, but it was too cloudy to see. Was Will still alive? Did Kelly still live? Tony? Or had one of them led the others into a trap?

  I brushed my hands over the surface of the water, watching the ripples move out toward the shore and wondered if those tiny waves might make it to the mainland. Kelly had never taught me to swim. Probably never would. Not her death, not even her possible betrayal could bring me to tears. I didn’t cry anymore. I couldn’t. My emotions had dried up and at times I wondered if I was still human. Even seeing the books in Grandfather’s house didn’t thrill me like they would have two months ago. Yes, I’d desperately wanted to read them, but merely to gain knowledge that might defeat the beautiful ones. Not for pleasure.

  I sank into the water, letting the cool waves reach my shoulders. This, though, felt as close to bliss as I supposed I would ever feel again. I could admit that much. I didn’t even mind the salt water that occasionally splashed into my mouth, tasting bitter and tangy. The water cleaned my body, the smooth pebbles on the bottom massaged my feet and the cold numbed the aches and pains.

  But my moment didn’t last long. I heard the snap of a branch and spun around to face the land. Thane stood on the shore, casually watching me. I found it somewhat amusing that he made noise to warn me whenever he approached, when he could have walked quietly by and I wouldn’t have noticed. Amusing and yes, somewhat endearing.

  “Swimming or trying to escape?”

  I flushed. “Swimming. Well, trying. I don’t really know how.”

  He pulled his shirt over his head.

  Startled, I stiffened. I wore my underwear and shirt but I still felt underdressed with him near. I’d never been this embarrassed around Will. What was it about Thane that made me feel like a bumbling fool? “What are you doing?”

  “Same as you. Swimming.”

  I spun around, giving my back to him as he reached for the waistband of his trousers. “I sort of wanted to be alone.”

  “Being alone is dangerous.”

  “We’re on an island.”

  I could hear him move into the water, the gentle splash of the waves against his body. “Never let your guard down, Jane.”

  I watched him from the corner of my eye as he dove into the water and swam out, a blur of a man underneath the surface, like one of the mere-folk I’d read about in a book. He stood some distance away and raked his wet hair back from his face. I tried not to stare, but he was truly stunning. Even the scars didn’t take away from his fine features, and for some reason the water made his eyes look even bluer.

  “Just when you think you have someone, or something figured out, is probably when they surprise you, turn on you.”

  Was he speaking of the beautiful ones or himself?

  “And do you trust my grandfather?” I asked.

  He lifted his dark brows. “Are you asking because you don’t?”

  I shrugged, wading a little left, further away from him. Looking at his beautiful face, his muscled chest, those brilliant blue eyes, made it hard to think. I knew what I was feeling…attraction. But how could that be? I didn’t like him, I didn’t trust him…did I? “I learned not to trust anyone.”

  The amusement in his gaze seeped away and he looked out onto the water, pensive and moody in a way he rarely was. “There are people you can trust, you know. But when it comes down to it, you only have yourself.”

  I frowned.

  “I don’t find it depressing, although some might. It’s not as if people don’t care about each other. It’s that everyone has their own issues to deal with. It just means you should always rely upon your own instincts and trust yourself over others. The power is in your own hands.”

  I didn’t feel powerful. Maybe that was my problem, I was having a hard time trusting myself. I wished I’d been stronger those first two weeks, I’d lost such precious time. And why hadn’t I sensed that someone in our group was a traitor? “You didn’t answer my question though. Can we trust him?”

  “You can. He means you no harm.” He went under water and I could see him swim ahead. What did he mean by that response? He pushed through the surface about ten feet from me and brushed his hair from his face again. This was the closest I’d ever been to seeing Thane relaxed, at ease…dare I say enjoying himself?

  “And you?” I asked, not letting him get away with his half answers. “Can you trust him?”

  He turned toward me, grinning. A smile that made me catch my breath. A smile I’d never seen on him. In that moment he looked young, handsome, like any other man. “I believe he’s seriously thinking of keeping me here as a specimen to study.”

  I gasped, horrified.

  He laughed, truly amused. “Don’t worry. It won’t happen.”

  “But you won’t hurt him, will you?”

  He rolled his eyes skyward. “Glad you’re worried about my welfare.”

  “I didn’t mean—”

  “No. I won’t hurt him.” He held out his hand. “Now come here.”

  A V formation of geese flew overhead, squawking and momentarily distracting me. “Why?”

  “You need to learn to swim, right?”

  Startled, I tore my gaze from the sky and focused on him. He wanted me to be close to him? A least when we’d slept in that cabin we’d been wearing clothes. Being that close and wearing practically nothing wouldn’t be proper. Just the thought sent an embarrassed flush to my face. “No. We don’t have time.”

  He started toward me. “We have plenty of time.”

  Before I could come to my senses and lunge for the shore, he grabbed my hand and pulled me close. So close I fell into his chest. Horrified, I shoved my free palm into his shoulder and pushed back. “Thane, no!”

  “Jane,” he said wryly. “You trusted me enough to swim you across the ocean.”

  “Trusted? Ha!” I frowned at him as he pulled me further away from shore, the water growing colder with each step. “I didn’t have a choice!”

  He paused chest deep and tugged me toward him, the tips of my toes skimming the smooth pebbles below. “Trust me.”

  I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. “You told me to trust no one.”

  He grinned, a flash of white teeth, and that’s when I saw them…the canines. Sharp and pointed, just like the beautiful ones, and reminding me just in time that he was only half human. The unease that was slowly drifting away returned.

  “Just those who can’t be trusted,” he said.

  I shivered, tearing my gaze away from his mouth and focusing on his eyes. Thane was a blood drinker. A vampire. As much as I was attracted to him, I couldn’t forget what he truly was. Sensing my discomfort, Thane’s smile fell. Had I hurt his feelings? Was that truly possible?

  “And I can trust you?” I whispered.

  He pulled me further into the water, his hands warm on mine. “What do you want to know, Jane? I have nothing to hide.”

  I frowned. This was getting much too personal. “We’re going too far.”
r />   “Too far? You haven’t even asked me anything.”

  The tips of my toes no longer touched the bottom. “No, I mean the water.”

  He pulled me closer, supporting me where the water didn’t. “You need to learn to swim.”

  But the further out we went, the more fear began to weave its way through my body. I could drown, and I had to trust Thane to protect me. Thane, a man who was half monster. “Why? I’ve been fine not knowing all this time.”

  His left arm looped around my waist, warm, but not comforting. No, I wanted nothing more than to get away from him, head to shore and find peace, alone. I didn’t like the way my body reacted to his nearness; my heart and mind at war.

  “Because you hate relying on other people, don’t you?”

  How did he know that? “Maybe.”

  “Okay then.” He let go of one hand and placed it on my back. “Relax.”

  I gripped his shoulders. “No.”

  “I have you, Jane.”

  I stared into his eyes for one long moment. He was completely serious, and he was waiting…waiting for me to trust him. But this wasn’t just about trust. I didn’t want to be weak anymore. Not knowing how to swim was a weakness. Breaking the eye contact, I leaned back. His hands were there, holding me afloat.

  “Close your eyes, relax.”

  I closed my eyes, but my body remained stiff, my heart pounding as the water lapped against me. All I could think about were those huge waves that hit me over and over, filling my lungs with salt water as Thane and I had made our escape.

  A wave hit me. Panicked, I opened my eyes and thrashed in the water.

  “Never mind,” Thane muttered, grabbing me around the waist and pulling me close. “Calm down.”

  “I…I can’t do this,” I said through chattering teeth. I was cold, so bitterly cold. “I want to go back.”

  “Damn it, Jane, look at me,” Thane demanded.

  I forced myself to focus on him.

  “Keep my gaze. Relax. You need to learn how to swim. I swear I won’t let anything happen to you. Ever.”

  As I stared into his eyes, something odd happened…I actually believed him. My body felt heavy, my mind lost its frantic edge and I started to relax.

  “Not too much,” he said, his voice pulling me back. “Don’t fall asleep.”

  “What are you doing?” I murmured. How odd that his eyes were the color of the sky so I wasn’t sure where he ended and the world began. The desperation I’d felt vanished like the breeze sweeping across the sea. I knew in the deep recesses of my mind that something odd was happening, but I couldn’t seem to dredge up enough energy to care.

  “I’m helping you relax.”

  I smiled up at him. Right. Relax. Wait…what? I blinked my eyes, jerking my gaze from him. The confusion made me thrash and I found myself going under. Bitterly cold water rushed over my head. Just as suddenly as I went under, Thane’s hands were at my waist, pulling me up out of the water and holding me close to his warm body.

  Gasping for air, I met his gaze. “What just happened?”

  “Nothing.” Lifting me, he cradled my body against his chest and started toward the shore. But it wasn’t nothing, I could tell by the way he was avoiding eye contact. Perhaps I was starting to understand Thane after all, and something was definitely suspicious.

  The moment my feet could touch the ground, I pushed at his chest. “What did you do?”

  Waist deep, he loosened his hold and I slid down his body, into the water. “I can persuade people.”

  Confused, I shook my head. “What does that mean?”

  He shrugged. “It’s been known to happen with blood drinkers, but no one knows I have the gift. If they had, they would have used me even more than they did.”

  “What are you talking about?” I demanded.

  His jaw clenched, his gaze uneasy. “I can somehow persuade people to do my bidding. They have to be looking in my eyes, and willing, but if they are, I can make them relax. Almost hypnotize them.”

  Hypnotize, I’d heard that word before. “At the castle when I fainted and woke up in that field….”

  He stepped toward me. “Jane—”

  “You manipulated me!” I stepped back, shocked. “And you said I could trust you.”

  “Jane, it’s not…”

  But I didn’t wait around to hear his defense. Horrified and disappointed, I raced to the shore and scooped up my clothes. I wasn’t even sure what angered me more, that Thane had betrayed me, or that I had trusted him. Finding the trail that led back to the house, I raced toward the cottage, letting my humiliation spur me forward.